Computer algebra systems are computer-implemented applications that manipulate mathematical expressions in symbolic form. Computer algebra has many applications in fields such as physics, engineering, and education.
One specific function performed by many computer algebra systems is the calculation of the greatest common divisor (GCD) of two polynomials. There are many algorithms that may be used for calculating the GCD of two polynomials. The computational expense of calculating the GCD depends on the complexity of the two polynomials and the algorithm used.